So there is a small, around fifty people company, called Basecamp, who are creating a very successful business on a project management web application. I’ve been following the 2 founder for years due to their inspirative, thought provoking articles. What’s the most appealing to me is their perspectives around working. In the day of software startups and high-achiever financial experts and consultants, working 60-70 hours a week has become the standard. But is it worth in the long term? The marginal utility after 40-50 hours are decreasing significantly according to several studies.

So they talk about preserving their time and attention, working only 40 hours a week and async (written) communication instead of sync (meetings and real-time chat). I really like the ideas (think Deep Work). Or to be precise I really like to believe that, this nature of work is so much better in every aspects of the job. Having a successful business means you can set your own boundaries, but is it a two-way thing? Creating the boundaries first can mean higher overall output? I am more than happy to see researches, where these kind of ideas are supported by science, not just a personal anecdote.

Without further ado, here is an article where Shawn Blanc describes his experiences about a workshop which was held by Basecamp.